Because of Kaoru
by Kimishima San
Summary: Ok well people die....it's my first fan fic ever from when I was younger...like alot younger. I can't find myself to do anything with it.


Because of Kaoru 

A story by: Sessho-chan and Kouga-chan

Summary: A dark fic about the kenshin-gumi. Someone has died and it caused a chain of tragic events. If you don't like sad fics, don't read!

It was a rainy day at the dojo and kenshin was in gloomy mood because early that morning he had accidentally walked in on kaoru changing and she had blown up on him, hitting him with her bokken, leaving a large bump on his forehead. He was taking the laundry down when he saw out of the corner of his eye kaoru taking down laundry off the line.

"kaoru-dono, what are you doing out here in the rain?, your going to catch a cold, and sessha would not want that" said kenshin. Kaoru just smiled sheepishly.

"I am sorry about blowing up on you this morning, it was an accident....please let me help you."

Kenshin shook his head. _I would never want my innocent Kaoru to get sick._

"No Kaoru.......... "he trails off. Kaoru was surprised that Kenshin had called her by her given name, without the honorific.

"No Kenshin, it is the least I can do giving you that bump on your head.." she said sweetly.

"Please....Kaoru-dono?" he said with his lip out. She stamped her foot on the ground in frustration.

"NO! I can take care of myself!" as she continued to take down the clothes. Kenshin rolled his eyes, and whispered to himself "Oh my Kaoru when will you ever learn..?"

Later that evening they were all seated at the dinner table. "Hey Kenshin! this miso soup ain't half bad" said Sano slurping down his 3rd bowl of soup.

"Arrigato Sano, I am glad that you enjoy it" he smiled at his disproportionate friend. He looked over and saw that Kaoru was looking a little pale.

"Hey ugly, your looking more uglier than usual" said Yahiko as he examined her face. She gave him a evil glare but then decided he was right, not the ugly part, but she was feeling a little woozy.

"Yea Jou-chan you look like Megumi when she has that white makeup stuff all over her face." Kaoru got up from her spot and put her untouched food in the trash.

"Yes I am feeling a little run down from all the training that I did today, I think I will go to bed early."

Kenshin looked a little confused "Oro?...she is never tired after training, I will have to go and check on her tonight." Sano left to go see his buddies and gamble what little money he had.

"See you tomorrow Kenshin, I might need to come down for breakfast if I lose some money tonight, but you know don't count on it. I mean I am after all an experienced gambler...later"

"Well goin to bed Kenshin see ya in the morning" said Yahiko as he ran off. Kenshin finished up the dishes and went to peek into Kaoru's room to see if she was feeling any better.

"Kaoru-dono, may I come in?" he asked questioningly. She frantically wiped the sweat of her forehead. _I can't let Kenshin know that I am not feeling well. _

"Yes Kenshin you may come in." She sat up as he entered but he motioned for her to lay back down.

"No don't get up I just wanted to know how you have been feeling since dinner?" He walked over to her closet and pulled out a blanket and laid it on her futon.

"Oh no Kenshin I am quite alright, I just need some rest. Thank you though" she said and gave a weak smile.

"Well that is good, we should all have a picnic tomorrow, wouldn't that be fun?"

"Uh huh yea that would be nice Kenshin...well I think I should get some rest goodnight to you. And thank you again for being so concerd." He began to walk out the door "Good night my sweet Kaoru.."

The next morning it was bright and sunny and Kenshin was already up making breakfast. Sano walked into the dojo cursing about the bad bets he had made last night. "I lost it all!! All of my money all down the drain!!...._yea well at least I still have Kenshin to mooch on haha" _

"Konnichiwa Sano, I see that you did not have a good time gabling last night?" he chuckled

"Oh shut up Kenshin, where is breakfast?" he sat down and clapped his hands together. "And hurry up cuz I am hungry!"

"Oroooooo!" He went down the halls to wake up Kaoru and Yahiko for breakfast. First he came to Kaoru's soji and quietly slid it open, she was still asleep." She was so innocent when she sleeps, I will let her rest" he closed it and then went to get Yahiko.

"Hey Kenshin were is the ugly hag?" he said as he gobbled down the rice balls. Sano had a grin on his face

"Why Yahiko, are you wooooried about her!" Yahiko blushed a little as Sano elbowed him in the shoulder.

"NO WHY WOULD YOU SAY THAT! I just wanted to know if she was gonna train with me today that's all!!!" He began to chase Sano all around the yard. Kenshin laughed as his two friends killing each other. He cleaned up the dishes and then decided to get some laundry done. As he washed the clothes he thought about her. _She is so stubborn sometimes, but I love her anyway, yes I love her. _He was snapped out of his dream when Sano came over and gave him a slap on the back that almost flew him across the yard.

"Oi! Kenshin what are you doing today? Since I lost all my money I figured I could use you and Jou-chan for a bit."

"Oroooooo! , _Sano, you can always depend on him to use you ha"_ He shook his head and laughed at the bad gambler he called a friend. "Well I thought that instead of doing chores today, we could all have a picnic."

"Oh, ok as long as Kaoru does not make any poison" he laughed and then sat on the front steps, fishbone in hand.

"Oroooooooooooo" Kenshin got all the food ready for the picnic and went to go wake up Kaoru. "She should be awake by now, she never sleeps in this late." He slid open her soji but saw that she was awake and folding the blankets. "Good afternoon Kaoru-dono, I trust you slept well." She scratched her head.

"Oh, it is already the afternoon. I didn't realize I had slept this late." _I am still not feeling any better but if Kenshin finds out he will be angry that I did not listen to him yesterday. _"Achoooo!" she sneezed.

"Kaoru-dono are you sure you are feeling alright?"

"Yes I am fine, it is just my allergies." She gave him a weak smile.

"Well if your sure, I have already packed things for the picnic, when would you like to go?" She frantically tried to think of an excuse to give him.

" I ummm....well....I have to practice some......new stuff to teach Yahiko tomorrow. And remember Kenshin work always comes before uhhhh....picnics?" She didn't think he would buy it.

"Oh.....I guess I should not pull you away from your teachings....we will just have to go another day" he said smiling. Kaoru didn't want to pull him, Sano and Yahiko away from a picnic.

"Oh! No you should go with Sano and Yahiko, I mean you already packed the food.....Why waste it?" He nodded and she was glad that Kenshin did not suspect anything.

"Well ok then....We shall be back around dinner time...Are you sure you are going to be alright?"

"Achooo!........yes I am sure I will be fine......now go have fun!." Inside Kenshin knew it was wrong to leave Kaoru alone all day, but if she had to get work done he did not want to stand in her way. After a minute more of getting ready he said one last goodbye to her and him, Sano and Yahiko left.

Kaoru sat up in her bed and thought about how she felt, a tear dropped fro her face. "How could I lie like that? I am not feeling at all well. My head hurts my stomach aches and I can not stop sneezing and coughing! I will go see Megumi in a couple of days but I am sure by then I will be feeling much better" she nodded and went off to make herself a cup of tea. She decided to take a day off and just relax, she didn't want to strain herself, besides she deserved it. Once she got the tea she sat down out side, but felt a chill even though the sun was shining. So she finished the cup inside and into her room.

The boys were half way to the spot and Yahiko was complaining because his feet hurt. "Come on Yahiko! Suck it in we are almost there!" yelled Sano.

"Yes Yahiko I have picked a very nice spot to have our picnic, that I have." They pressed on for a couple minutes longer then when they got to the beautiful spot put down the stuff and relaxed.

"Hey Kenshin! what have you packed for lunch? Hurry up I haven't eaten all day!" wined Sano

"Oroooooo!......Sano you just had breakfast!" said the swirly eyed redhead. Sano eyes widen at what he had just say.

"Who knows when that was!?" He grabbed a rice ball off of the plate. Yahiko rolled his eyes and added in.

"It was only about an hour ago ya big rooster head! Now give me a rice ball!" Sano took the plate of them and put them by his side.

"Oh you want one? Well not after what you just called me! I think I will keep them all for myself, after all I don't think they were made for little children!" he grinned and then stuffed another rice ball in his mouth. Yahiko took out his bokken and hit him over the head.

"Give me one! Ya big stupid!!!" He started to chase him all over, rice balls still in Sano's hands. Kenshin gave a little laugh then took out the other plate of rice balls.

"I knew you two would fight over them, so I brought more, here Yahiko you can have these ones."

" Hey thanks Kenshin!" he stuck out his tongue at Sano "See, Kensin is nice and you aren't!"

"Yeah...whatever"

Back at the dojo Kaoru was feeling a little light headed and decide to take a nap and wake up when the boys got back. She didn't have anymore blankets so she decided to take Kenshin's. "He won't mind if I take one of his, I am very cold right now." She got into her futon and pulled the blanket that was Kenshin's close to her face, then held it close. _Oh Kenshin even your blankets smell of your sweet aroma. _

In a few hours the boys had return and Sano had to go "talk" to Megumi, while Yahiko went off to the Akkabeko to help Tae and Tsubame.

"Kaoru-dono? Are you here?" called Kenshin. He walked down the hall to her room and didn't walk in on her like last time. "Kaoru-dono are you in here?" Still no answer, he slid open the soji and saw her lying on her futon with almost 4 blankets on her. He walked over to her and stopped when she turned the other way, but she was still asleep. He continued to approach her but did so with caution. She was sweating a lot and when he felt her head she was extremely hot. "I think I better call Megumi-dono over to check on her, even though she won't like it, it is for her best." He closed the soji and walked down to the clinic to get Megumi. When he walked in he saw Sano trying to put his "moves" on Megumi, but she pushed him away when she saw Kenshin walk in.

"Oh! Good after noon Ken-san, what brings you here?, have you come to save me from this big rooster head?" she batted her eyed and blushed.

"Hey fox lady would you stop calling me that!"

"Only when you stop calling me fox lady" she smiled but put her attention back to Kenshin. "Anyway what have you come for?

"Well Megumi-dono I have noticed that Kaoru-dono has not been feeling well, she is resting now but when I felt her forhead it was burning. Her eyes widend.

"Well I am very busy here at the clinic......but I suppose I can go down, it it is for Kaoru." Her and Kenshin walked outside and down the road, Sano clumsily running after them.

"Wait!" When he finally caught up the them he pouted to Megumi. "Hey I thought I was important!....don't you care about me?......what if I am sick?"

"Well your not and people who are sick always come before people who are "sick" "When they got to the dojo Yahiko was already back and in Kaoru's room.

"Oh thank god you are here! Ugly has been tossing and turning and I tried to wake hey up but she just won't" Megumi ran over to her and took out her bag.

"She is worse than I thought, Hey ya big rooster go get me a wet cloth!" He gave a look but then dragged his feet to get a cloth.

"Megumi-dono, is she going to be alright?" he said as he leaned closer to her in worry.

"I don't know Ken-san , I just.....don't know, I better stay with her for the rest of the night." The night was going by very slowly for Kenshin, knowing that his Kaoru was in there sick. Megumi walked out and with a sad look on her face too. He ran up to her.

"How is she, is she alright, can I see her??" the look in his eyes was unbearable for Megumi. She turned away from him with her head down.

"The medicine......we don't have the medicine....... I'm sorry" a single tear dropped apon her purple kimono. Kenshin just stood there he couldn't say anything, not one thing. Sano and Yahiko ran into the room and they were arguing because Sano had had the last bowl of miso soup, they stopped when they saw them.

"What is it? She is gonna be alright, right" Sano weakly. Megumi could't take it and she ran off crying. Then he saw Kenshin still in the same position, Sano ran over to him and looked in his eyes but turned away.

"That ugly is probably just faking it!" he grabbed Sano's sleeve and pulled him into the room. There laid Kaoru, pale with just about an ounce left of life in her. They both ran to her side.

"Hey Jou-chan? Wake up?" he said as he lightly shook her shoulder. _She really isn't gonna make it, is she, ah Jou-chan why do you have to do this to us!!! _

"She isn't going to make is she?" Sano stayed quiet. "IS SHE!" He felt tears swell up in his eyes.

"Come On! You know you really aren't that bad and you know you really aren't ugly.....why!" tears started to poor from his eyes, he couldn't take it. Sano held his head down, but decided that he should take Yahiko out and let Kenshin come in. He picked Yahiko and he was still crying, they left he room and he went to go leave him with Megumi. When he came back he went over to Kenshin.

"Hey......you should go in and see her....it would mean a lot to her." Finally he looked up at Sano and put his arm on his shoulder.

"Sano you are a good friend that you are. I think that I will go and see Kaoru now.." he smiled a smile that only a friend would under stand. Kenshin walked into the room and Sano looked at her one last time. _"Hey Kaoru, you are the only woman who was ever a friend to me....thanks" _Sano looked at Kenshin and tears started to form in his eyes but quickly turned so he would not see him. He went back to Megumi and Yahiko and saw them both still crying and decided that he would cry too.

When he entered the room he saw his love lying on the futon, but not sweaty and sick, but as the first day he had met her, beautiful. He went to her side and pushed a piece of hair off of her face then pulled the blanket and tucked her in. He looked at his hands and then he looked at hers.

_My hands they are the hands that were once stained with the blood of innocent people. But her hands, so soft yet rough at the same time. She brought me in when I was a wanderer and accepted me like I was anyone else. None of my words can say how thankful I am not only that she took me in but for meeting her. She is the one that bears the gift of stealing my heart and for her I would do anything...even if that means breaking my promise and....killing. When I am around her my heart stops but when she speaks it races like the flutter of a birds wings. How could this happen....I told her to go inside when it was raining now look at her!!.....no it is not her fault.....if I hadn't walked in on her she would have never came outside to apologize.....she didn't have to apologize. Oh my Kaoru....why...? _ He took her hand into his and held it to his heart. A tearfell onto her hand and then her eyed slowly fluttered open. They looked into each others eyes and did not move. Now the tears were streaming down his face, but she managed to give him a smile.

"Kenshin.....why do you cry for me.....this is all my fault I should have told you I didn't feel good....so please....don't cry" she caught a tear that was about to fall from his face. Kenshin just shook his head.

"No it is not your fault....don't ever say that" the tears kept falling.

"Kenshin?...." she said very weakly.

"Yes...Kaoru?" with a face full of tears, but she smiled because of what he called her.

"Can I tell you something"

"Of course you can tell me anything...I too also have something to tell you."

"Kenshin....for as long as I have known you I have loved you...but since I am not going to be here much longer I figured I would tell you even though you don't feel the same way" she too started to cry. Kenshin smiled. Those were the words that he had been wanting to here for so long now.

"Kaoru....since the moment I first layed eyes on you I have loved you but I trhought that you wouldn't love me back so I didn't tell you" he hugged her hand closer to him. She gave him a smile and with all the strength she had wrapped her arms around him and hugged him like she would never let him go. He hugged her back and she whispered in his ear. _"I love you Kenshin.....goodbye" _ He smiled and told her. _"I love you too my darling and now that I know you love me too we can get married and have kids and buy a house of our own and then my life will be complete...would't that be nice?" _ He was so wrapped up in the moment that he didn't realize that she was no longer embracing him, but her arms were limp and eyes gently shut. "Kaoru?" he pulled her lifeless body back to look into her face. "No...no! you can't!....you can't leave me not now, not when we could have been happy together.....no" His face was so innocent like those of a child and he started to cry and the tears all over her face. He held her close. _"no...I love you too much..please don't leave me....Kaoru..." _ He gently laid her back down and pulled the blanket over her face. He got up and walked out of the room. Yahiko and Megumi had gone into Sano's room and were sleeping.

Sano was outside with his hands over his face. He herd a noise and saw that it was Kenshin. He could also see the tears stains all over his face. Kenshin jut walked right past him and stood at the gate then took out his sword. Sano looked but then started running towards him. _"What the hell is he doing?....no! he wouldn't...._NO!!!!!! KENSHIN DON'T!"

"I am sorry Sano but I have nothing left....you have been a good friend to me that you have." He was too late. Kenshin had taken the sword and held it up to his heart, closed his eyes and it went strait through. He was too late. "Kenshin!!!!!!!!" Sano ran up to him and held him in his arms, hands now soaked in blood. He didn't want to believe it . "Kenshin...why did you have to go and do this now what the hell am I supposed to do...HUH! NOW WHAT THE HELL AM I SUPPOSED TO DO!!! TWO OF MY BEST FRIENDS HAVE JUST DIED AND WHAT DO YOU EXPECT ME TO DO....dammit." He let him go and went to go and find Megumi and Yahiko. When he found them he didn't wake them up. "I don't want to be the one to tell them" He gave Megumi a kiss on the forhead. "I love you Megumi" He walked over to Yahiko and gave him a pat on the head. "And Yahiko you have been just like a little brother to me...the best I could ask for." He smiled.

He went to the back and got a rope that he had been using the other day to tie Yahiko up to a tree. There was a beem right above the kitchen table and he tied the rope to it. There were some rice balls that were left over and he put them on the table. "Man Kenshin you were the best damn cook I was honored to eat your food and now I am honored to die over it" He smiled a bit and made his last joke. "Wow dying over food that is a dream come true haha" One foot stepped apon the table, then the other. The loop at the end of the rope was a perfect fit for his head. On the top of the table was a stool. He stepped up on it and took a deep breath. "Well if I can't have Kenshin's cooking and Jou-chan's antics what more is there to live for?...sorry Megumi I truly did love you and Yahiko I hope you grow up to be one of the best swordman maybe even as good as Kenshin...well bye everyone...it's been great."

The next morning Megumi got up early leaving Yahiko still asleep, she was going to go and find Sano and ask him to help her with Kaoru. She didn't want to ask Kenshin, heck he was probably gone by now, I don't think he could take it. She wiped her sleepy eyes off and went into the kitchen. When she opened her eyes all she could see was _her _spikey haired fool hanging by a rope....dead. The scream that she let out was enough to wake the whole world, then she fainted. Yahiko stood right up and ran to find the source of the noise. When he found her he shook her.

"Megumi!...Megumi what is it? Why did you scream?" then he looked up and saw Sano's dead face hanging down. He backed off from Megumi and the corpse, and he ran, he ran away. He was running towards the gates and he fell when he tripped over something. When he got up he saw the body of his hero cold and dead near the gate. "Oh god!" he covered his mouth and just kept running, he didn't know to where but he just wanted to get away. When Megumi got up she went over and touched his face. She shook her head sat down, held he knees and cried. _What is going on here! Why would he do something like that? I thought he loved me? Kaoru is dead and now it is my Sano! _She knew she had to get up and go and get someone to help her, and tell Kenshin that Sano was dead. Her eyes were still filled with tears and she was not paying attention when she fell over the corpse. When she finally regained consciousness she looked at what she had fallen over and screamed.

"Ken-san!!! What have you done to yourself? Kaoru, Sano and you!" she lifted his head and talked to him like he was still alive. "Sano is dead now and so is Kaoru, I guess it is better that you did not live to see it...and I think it will be better if I am with my Sano and you two."

She walked down to the clinic and saw that Jiya was not there. "What works the fastest?" she said looking around the room but still shaking. Finally she saw it and took it. She did not want Jiya to go and look for her so she thought it best to write a note.

_Dear Jiya,_

_ Since of the unfortunate events that have taken place in the last days, I have decided that I should be with my friends and leave the clinic. If you go to the Kamiya dojo you will find what I might be saying. If you would be so kind to tell Misao-dono and Aioshi-sama about it, they will be grateful. Thank you for the opium and it has been a joy working at the clinic._

_Sincerely,_

_ Megumi_

When she finished writing the letter she went back to her home and put on her finest kimono. She made her bed then had a bottle of sake with the opium. Then she lied on her bed and waited for the medicine to take affect. "Oh Sano my big rooster head....."

The only place that Yahiko could go to was the Akkabeko. When he ran through the doorway he fainted and fell. Tae and Tsubame ran over to him to see if he was ok.

"Yahiko! Are you alright? What happened?" said Tsubame while she shook him on the shoulder. His eyes opened when he herd her voice. Even though he didn't want to cry in front of her he couln'd help it.

"Their all....dead....all of them!.....it was so terrible.....all of them are dead!" he screamed. Tae tried to calm him down.

"Hold on Yahiko, who is dead?"

"Kenshin, Kaoru and Sano their dead" he cried and covered his eyes with his hands.

"What? Tsubame bring Yahiko back to the house and make him some tea, I am going go and get some help." Tsubame nodded and had to pull Yahiko back to house by his hands. When they got there she put him in her bed and put a blanket over him, then she went in to boil the water for the tea. When she returned to him he was just laying there with his eyes wide open.

"Yahiko? Can you tell me what happened to them?" she looked deep into his eyes but she still had a calm sweet smile on her face. He didn't say anything but just looked away from her.

"I understand if you don't want to talk, I can't imagine what you have gone through, I am going to make you some tea, you just rest." She didn't want to leave him but heard the whistle of the tea pot and went to go make the tea. She poured the tea and went back to Yahiko, and he was still on his side. "Oh Yahiko."

The first place that Tae went to was the dojo. But when she saw Kenshin lying there she knew that she had to go and get Jiya. She left in a hurry and still rattled about what she had just seen. When she got to the clinic she saw him there reading a letter and looked rather shocked.

"Megumi...she's gone, what would make her do such a thing and with the opium too." Tae went over to him.

"It's because Kenshin, Kaoru and Sano are all dead......I just went to the dojo and saw it."

"Oh my lord this is quite tragic, I knew that Kaoru was sick but I had no idea about the others?" He frowned. "I must go and get some help, it would be best for you to go back to the restaurant." She nodded and left the clinic. When reached the dojo he knew what she was talking about, Kenshin with a knife, Sano with a rope, and Kaoru with a blanket. He went and got the police and they would have to handle it from here. The next place he had to go to was Megumi's home. "Oh I hope she is alright." When he got to the house he looked around but did not find her. "Megumi? Are you in here?" he slid open the soji and saw her. She looked like she was sleeping but she wasn't. "Oh no, not another death."

Tsubame stayed with Yahiko until Tae had gotten home. Tsubame went over and hugged her when she started to cry.

"Are they really all dead? Was he telling the truth?" Tae hugged her back.

"I am afraid so... I am afraid so" They both cried and just couldn't, wouldn't believe that they were dead.

Yahiko laid in bed and didn't move a muscle, it had been a day now and both Tsubame and Tae were worried about him. They had botten him food but he didn't eat. Since he hadn't eaten Tsubame decided she would make him.

"Yahiko, I have some food if you are hungry?" she laid it down on the table next to her. "We are really worried about you, do you know that, I know it's been hard but you have to eat." When he didn't move Tsubame lifted him up into a sitting position. "And look it's rice balls, your favorite" she smiled Still he didn't budge just looked in front of him. _I didn't want to have to do this but I guess it is for the best. _She opened his mouth and put a bit of the food in and he chewed it a little, then swallowed. She was glad that he ate something. When they were all gone she wanted to see if he would talk to her now. _Well the first step is eating but he has to talk to me. _"Yahiko?.....are you going to talk to me?" Nothing happed he just kept on staring. "Yahiko will you just tell me...the only way to get your feeling out is to talk?" Still nothing happed.

"Please....." Her eyes swelled up and her head hung low. Then she put her arms around him and cried on his shoulder. _"Oh Tsubame, I would love to talk to you but you would not understand....I am sorry to make you cry" _ he said to himself. "I'll understand, come on you can tell me anything..." she kept on crying on him.

"_Well maybe if you keep on hugging me I will but I just need some time." _She let go of him and wiped the tears out of her eyes. "Well at least you ate, all you need is time, I will come back later and check on you."

Jiya had reread the letter and thought that it was the best if he wrote a letter to Misao and Aioshi.

He didn't know how to tell them but yes it was better for them to know. When he was finished writing the letter he brought it to the carrier and then went back home to have a cup of tea. "How could this have happened to all of them?"

It took a week for the mail to arrive. The sun was shining and Misao was in the happiest mood. Since the last couple days of rain, she was glad to feel the warmth of the sun once again. She twirled around in circles, landing softly on the green grass. "The sun is shining apon me, I know it is a sign from the ancestors, today is the day that I tell Aioshi Shinomori that I have been madly in love with him since that beautiful day we met." She paused for a moment and looked up at the clear blue sky. "But how am I to tell him?....well I think that taking a nap will help me think....." As she drifted off to sleep Aioshi was taking a break from meditating, and went to get the mail.

"Let's see death threats, taxes, missions,....hmm what do we have here, a letter from Dr.Genzai, isn't he the one that lives in Tokyo not to far from where Kenshin lives?, wonder what he want's?" He went back inside to have some tea while he overlooked the mail. He read the rest of the letters first but left the one from Jiya alone besides him. When he was done with the tea he examined the letter. Without ripping it, he opened the envelope. To him it looked like an ordinary letter, but in reality it was a message that would soon tare him apart. His icy blue eyes read each line slowly to make sure of what he was reading. Finally he put it down, and his once icy eyes melted. Each of the tear drops made a pool on the paper. "How could this be happening.....I called them my......friends." Aioshi stood up, left the room, not before hiding the letter and whipping the final tears out of his eyes.

He walked down the long hallway when he passed Seta who had that smile that could melt you. He had been sitting down but got up to see if Aioshi needed anything. "Master Aioshi, do you need any thing?" For once a smile broke through his face, one that Seta had never seen. Aioshi put his hand on Seta's shoulder.

"No that is ok, I am just going to go for a walk, I don't know when I will be back." His smile faded as quickly as it had come and he started to walk past Seta but turned around. "You're a good kid." Seta's smile was still brightly stuck on his face but his eyes looked confused.

"Master Aioshi.......?" He didn't say anything else because Aioshi was already out in the open. He was still confused with what he said though, _Master Aioshi has been acting very odd, I wonder what happened...well I am sure he will be fine, he is a strong man. _

Aioshi walked down the dirt path and decided that he would go into town and have a drink , maybe tomorrow he would tell Misao about them. He didn't usually drink anything except for tea but he needed something that would sooth him from the pain in his chest.


End file.
